Saur Mountains

The Saur Mountains (Chinese: 萨吾尔山; pinyin: Sàwú'ěr Shān, Kazakh: Сауыр жоталары, Russian: Саур) is one of the mountain ranges in the Tian Shan system. An eastern extension of the Tarbagatai Mountains, it starts on the China-Kazakhstan border and continues east into China, where it forms the border between the Hoboksar Mongol Autonomous County and Jeminay County of Xinjiang.

The highest peak of the range, and of the entire Saur-Tarbagatai mountain system, is the ice-capped Sauyr Zhotasy, also known as the Muz Tau.

Streams flowing south from the Saur make irrigated agriculture possible, although on a very limited scale, in their valleys in Hoboksar County. One of them reaches as far as the large oasis seen on Google Maps at 46°10′00″N 86°25′00″E / 46.16667°N 86.41667°E / 46.16667; 86.41667, in the southern part of Xiazigai Township (夏孜盖乡, Xiàzīgài xiāng). Apparently it is streams like this that Chinese geographers describe as "seasonal rivers sourcing from the northern mountains" whose water occasionally reaches the Manas Lake.^[1]

Notes

Mountain ranges of China Geography of China Northwest China Altai Mountains Dzungarian Alatau Tian Shan Borohoro Mountains Tarbagatai Mountains Kunlun Mountains Altyn-Tagh Qilian Mountains Helan Mountains Qinghai-Tibet and Southwest China Himalayas Transhimalaya Pamir Mountains Karakoram Argu Tagh Yengisogat Kunlun Mountains Hoh Xil Bayan Har Mountains Amne Machin Tanggula Mountains Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains Hengduan Mountains Gaoligong Mountains Yunling Mountains Ailao Mountains Qionglai Mountains Daxue Mountains Min Mountains Northeast China Greater Khingan Lesser Khingan Changbai Mountains Wanda Mountains Qian Mountains Northern China Yin Mountains Lang Mountains Lüliang Mountains Taihang Mountains Zhongtiao Mountains Qin Mountains Dabie Mountains Mount Tai Central China Daba Mountains Wudang Mountains Jingshan Mountains Dabie Mountains Luoxiao Mountains Jiuling Mountains Mufu Mountains Wugong Mountains Huangshan Tianmu Mountain Wuling Mountains Xuefeng Mountains Yandang Mountains Wuyi Mountains Southern China Cangshan (Yunnan) Daliang Mountains Dalou Mountains Nanling Mountains Jiuyi Mountains Yuecheng Mountains Longmen Mountains Western Mountains Landforms of China

Coordinates: 47°04′00″N 85°34′00″E / 47.06667°N 85.56667°E / 47.06667; 85.56667